Electric sign.



E, E; BELGHER.

ELECTRIC SIGN.

APPLICATION FILED UGT. 27, 190B.

Patented Mams, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

R. E. BBLGHEP,lv

ELECTRIC SIGN.

APPLIGATION FILED 00T. 27, I190s.

Patented Mar. 23, 1909.

ROBERT E. BELGHER, OF lOR'lLAND, OREGON.

ELEc'rnrc SIGN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patenten/:arch 23, ieee.

Application filed October 27, 1903. Serial No. 459,736.

To all whom it may concem:

Be it knosnthat I, ROBERT E. BELcHEn, residing at Portland, in the county of Multnomah and State ofOregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Signs, of which the follov ing is a specification.

ily invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in electric signs, and in its general mal e-u comprises alight carry ing body to Whic suitable letters are attached, light bulbs supported at the ends of arms or bars, and provided with reflectors for concentrating the light upon the faces of 35 the letter carrying body whereon` the letters are arranged in concaved formation.

Primarily my invention has for its object to providean electrical sign, each face of which can be illuminated by one electric light bulb instead of having each letter separately illuminated by numerous electric light bulbs, and to provide an electric-sign that can be read with equal facility from opposite directions,- and to provide an electric sign that is absolutely fireproof and of lighter vconstruction than .those now in ordinary use.

My invention also,embodies those novel details of construction, combination an'd arrangementl of arts, all ofwhich will be first described in etail and then be specificallypointed out in the appended claims, and illustrated in the acompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l, is a perspective vierir illustrating my improved sign folded up against a building.. Fig. 2, is a side elevation showin the sign in use. Fig. 8, is a central vertica section on the line 3-3 of Fig.. 2. Fig. 4, isa detail view' of one of the letters.` Fig. 5, is a 'detail viewv of a part of my invention. Fig. (i, is a detail perspective view of another part 'which cooperates vfiththat shown in Fig. 5.

Referring new' to the accompanying draw- "f ings, in 'which like letters and numerals of reference indicate like parts in'all of the ligures, l designates the' sign body, which consists of a i sheet metal casing la having concaved faces 1b and parallel peripheral faces l, the faeeslc being suitably ornamented byscrollwork, or otherwise. A' suitable supporting frame 2 may be provided, and surrounding the same a sheet metal strip 2EL ma be provided, as shown in Fig. 3 of the raWings.. At the center ofthe concaved faces 1b are rosettes 3, and through these rosettes a main yic pipe 4 passes, the pipe 4, at one side being pro-- vided with a set screw 4a to secure the ipe arm 5b that carries the reflector 5 and ightv bulb 6, in place.

At the other side of the sign, the pipe 4 is provided with a hinge joint 4c and a set screw 4a., the set screw 4a serving to hold 'the pipe\ arm 4b that supports a second reflector 5and which carries a second light bulb 6 to illumi- -65 nate the other lside of the sign.

The concaved faces A1b of the sign body .l are covered in practice, with two coats of green paint and two coats of green smalts, which serve to furnish a dark background for the letters 10, which letters may be formed of aluminum, or covered u ith aluminum. paint, to give a contrasty effectr The letters 10 are secured in any suitable manner to the peripheral portions of the' concaved 75 faces lb so'as to leave a slight space between the letters and the concaved faces 1l, so that when the lightA is reflectedonto the sign no shadows will be caused by the letters.

L The hollow pipe 4 serves asa conduit for 80 thewires 6a that pass to the sockets 6* of the lamp bulbs 6 and convey the current thereto,

the Wires 6a passing through the interior of the sign body and out through suitable alphaduct lumes 7. Each pipe arm 4l terminates in fingers 4 to which tlie'reflectors 5 are secured. The refiectors 5 are slightly concaved or coniforme d, as conditions may require, and are provided at their center with the sockets 6b into which 90 the bulbs 6 are screwed, the bulbs 6 having frosted tips 6* to eHect a more even distribue tion of `the light, and also tend to cause the light from the bulb to be directed onto the reflectors 5 and by them focused onto the 95v letter faces 1b of the sign and concentrate the rays of light thereon, thus enabling the letters to be read at a greater distance than if each letter Werelseparately illuminated with electric, bulbs. --Each reflector .5 is of 100 the sectional mirror-back type, that is to say, the' reflecting surface 5 1s composed of a seriesof mirror port-ions, see Figs. 3 and 5.

Each .concaved fabe lb of the sign is composed of a plurality of sections, each section being concaved to thel required degree.

11 designates an arm or support which is pivoted at ilEL to' a bolt 11b that is secured to the masonry 12 .of the building from which the sign is supported and the arm or han er bar 11 is ball-tipped as at llx, and is further supported by a chain 13 that is se-m .cured to an eye bolt 13a at the forward end of the arm 1l and is further secured to an eye bolt lb'that in turn is fastened to a bar 13c in the Wall l2 of the building tov which.

the sign is attached.

The sign l is supported from the armor hanger bar ll by-straps 14X, as shownin Figs. l and 2', ofthe drawings.'

. 15 designates a braided wire that is secured to the back of the reflector 5 and passes through a screw eye le at the top of .the reflector and through 'a pulley block l? secured to the arm 1.1 from which it passes over atan angle of about to the wall l2, and V throughanother pulley block-18, after -which it is securedtoa cleat 19 that is fasthev art to which the invention Figs. vl and 3, the pipe arme will have its piyot section together with the corresponding arm 4b and reflector 5, swung up into a substantially vertical position, as indicated in Fig. 3, so that when the sign is parallel with the wall l2, the arm 4b with the corrosponding reflector and vbulb will be drawn up into the position shown in Fig. 3, and as the hanger armi or` barv ll is again drawn to the position shown .in Fig. 2, the folded up reflector 5 will drop yinto alinementvith the :other reflector and concentrate its light upon its respectiye face lb of the sign.

From the foregoingtaken in'connection with the accompanying' drawings, it is thought the complete construction, operation and many advantages olrm invention will'be readily understood by t ose skilled appertains. What l claim is: 1. lne, sign, a sign'body having letter carrying faces andv letters mounted thereon around a common center, a light carrier projected from said common centena reflector and light carried by said carrier to focus the light on the letter face of said sign body, said y.light carrier having a pivoted section, a.

piyoted hanger for said sign body, and means for moving said hanger oniits pivot and simultaneously actuating said pivotedv section of the light carrier to swing the samev on its pivot.

2. A sign comprising a body having concaved side faces, letters mounted thereon around a common center, light carrying arms projected from said sign body at said `common center and normally held at substantially right angles thereto, a light and a.

reflector carried by each of said light earrying arms, said rellector focusing said light upon the letter face ofsaid sign body, means whereby said light carrying arms may be elongated or contrfn'zted` to move the light and reflector away from or toward the sign body, one of said light cariying arms having a hinged joint whereby said'arm and reileetor may be folded up against the sign body at times, a hanger for said sign bodyI said hanger having provisions whereby it may befolded up against a building, means for folding and unfolding said hanger and simultaneously moving said hinged light carrier on its hinged. joint.

3. A sign comprising a body having con! caved side faces, letters mounted thereon around common `center, light carrying arms projected from said sign body at said common center and normally held at substantially right angles thereto, a light and a reflector carried by each of said light carrying arms, said reflector focusing said light upon the letter face of said sign body, moans i whereby said light carrying arms may be elongated or contracted to move the light and reflector away from or toward the sign body, one of said light carrying arms having a hinged joint whereby said arm and reilector may be folded up against the sign body, at times, a hanger for said sign bod/y, 'said hanger having prov1s1ons whereby it may be folded up against a building, means for folding and unfolding said hanger, and means for moving said hinged light carrier on its hinged joint to fold the same against the sign body at times.

4. ln a sign, a sign body of drumelike form, said body having iarallel side rim portions and eoncaved side portions merging therewith, a'rosette secured in the center ol said concaved portions, flat letters secured to said concaved portions adjacent said rim portion, an arm. projecting from cach of said rosettes at substantially right angles to said sign body, a reflector supported at the end of each of said arms, a light carried by said reflector, said reflector arran ed to focus the light rays on the concaved ace of the sign body to illuminate the same, one of said arms being formed of sections hinged together to permit one section of the arm to be swung on the hinge connection.

5.. In .a sign, a sign bodv of drum-like form, said body having para] el side rim porv,tions and concaved side portions merging therewith, a rosette secured in the center of said 'concaved portions, flat letters secured to saidconcayed portion adjacent said rim portion, an arm projecting from each of said rosettes at substantially right angles to said sign body, a reflector' supported, at the end of each of said arms, a light carried by said reflector, said rellectorarranged to focus the light rays on the conoaved1 face of the sign ico , rymg arms consisting of telesco form, said body having means for maintaining said sections .in theirvarious pos1t1ons, one of said light carrying armshaving a hinged joint whereby the reflector 4and light may be folded up against the sign body.

6. Ina sign, a

said c'oncavedportions, flat letters 'secured to sa1d concaved portion adjacent saldr run portion, an arm projecting from eachof said rosettes at substantially right angles to said slgn body, a reflector supported at the end of each of said'arms, alight carried by said reflector,l said reflector'arranged to focus the light rays on the looncaved face of the sign bo' dy to illuminate the saine, .said light carmeans for'maintaining the sai sections lin their various positions, one of said hght carrymg arms having av hinged joint whereby the reflector and light maybe foldedup against the sign body, and a fo'ldable support for said sign together with -means for moving said foldable support into and out of itsA folded 7. In a sign, ,a sign vbody of drum-.like form, said bodyhaving parallel side rim por- ,.tllerewith, ka 'rosette secure position and simultaneously moving'thehinged arm on its hinged joint.

tions and co'n'caved, side ortions merging d) in the center of said concaved portions, flat letters secured to said-concaved portions adjacent said rim portion, an arm projecting from each of said rosettes at substantially right angles to said sign body, a reflector supported at the end of each of Vsaid arms, a light carried by said reflector, said reflector arranged to focus the light rays on the concaved face of the sign bod'y'to illuminate the same, said light carrying arms consisting of telesco ic' sections, means for maintaining the saiV sections 1n their various positions, one of saidlight carsaid hinged arm on sign body of drum-like p parallel side rim portions and' ooncaved sidevportions merging therewith, al rosette seoured'in the center of i -ject it therefrom, :said pivoted light carryin .arm and to a ic sections,

rying arms having a hinged jointwhe'reby the reflector and light may be folded up against the sign body, said sign together with means for moving said foldable support into and out of its folded position and simultaneously moving foldable support com rising a hanger arm, and meansfor pivotallly securing said hanger arm to a building, porting said arm'at thel other end, guy ropes or cablesfor moving said arm on its pivot .to fold the same against a building or proand a guy -rope secured t0 fixed member whereby w en the hanger arm is swung on its pivot to fold the same a foldable support for A its hinged joint, said Y at one end, means for supagainst the building .the pivoted light carrying arm will be swung up body. Y '8. A sheet metal form having side peripherally ornamentedv faces merging with 1 faces, letters secured to said ooncaved faces around a common axis, a tubular member projecting through the center of said body,l

against the sign other tubular members telescoped into said member and adjustfirst mentioned Vtubular ably held therein, said other tubular members-serving as' light carriers, a reflector supported by said light carriers, a light carried by said reflector, current carrying cables ,connectedjwith said light and passing through said light carrier and said tubular member into said drum -like sign body and out through an aperture in the peri heral Wall thereof, one of said tubular mem ers having a hinged joint whereby its' respective light carrier may be swung up against the sign' body at times', and means for swmging said light carrier onvsaid hinged joint.

I ROBERT E. BELCHER` Witnesses:

HARRY WELTY, F. L. KERNs.

sign body of drum-likeconcaved letter carrying 

